Ted Jackson, The Times-PicayuneA young fan braves the elements as the rain begins a downpour in front of the Fais Do Do Stage at the Jazz Fest Friday.

By the time the New Orleans-based funk-reggae group The Revealers took to the Jazz and Heritage Stage at 2 p.m. at Friday's (April 23) opening day of the New Orleans Jazz Fest, the skies had opened and the day's earlier drizzle had given way to a full-on downpour.

The Revealers, during a drier performance.

That didn't stop a handful of die-hard Revealers fans waiting in the rain for the group to play.

"Are you ready for the Revealers?!" the Jazz and Heritage Stage announcer asked over the mic.

The crowd -- a motley assortment of music fans wearing ponchos and garbage bags and soaked to the bone anyway -- cheered. They were joined by a deafening thunderclap that sounded as if on cue.

The crowd cheered louder.

The Revealers proceeded to let loose with a set of their trademark R&B-influenced, pop-infused reggae. The crowd got more and more saturated, but they didn't seem to mind, as they bopped and danced along -- and even grew, to close to 100 or so people as the rain strengthened and weaker Jazz Fest-goers scrambled for nearby tents.